Lithographic apparatus, lithographic projection apparatus and device manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus, comprising: a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate, comprising optical elements, a sensor frame, a first position measurement system configured to measure a position of an optical element relative to the sensor frame, comprising a sensor adapted to monitor an optical element, with a sensor element mounted to the sensor frame, a sensor frame support supporting the sensor frame on a reference, a force measurement device adapted to generate force measurement data relating to force exerted on the sensor frame by the sensor frame support, a position control device adapted to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam wherein the position control device is configured to receive the force measurement data and to control said relative position based on at least the force measurement data.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:
 a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate; the projection system comprising a plurality of optical elements; 
 a sensor frame; 
 a first position measurement system configured to measure a position of at least one of the plurality of optical elements relative to the sensor frame, wherein the position measurement system comprises at least one sensor configured to monitor one of the plurality of optical elements, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one sensor element mounted to a first side of the sensor frame; 
 a sensor frame support configured to support the sensor frame on a reference frame; 
 a force measurement device disposed at a second side of the sensor frame opposite to the first side and configured to generate force measurement data relating to a force that is exerted on the sensor frame by the sensor frame support; and 
 a position controller configured to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam, wherein the position controller is further configured to receive the force measurement data and to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam based on at least the force measurement data. 
 
     
     
       2. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the position controller comprises a deformation monitoring detector configured to determine a deformation of the sensor frame based on a model of the sensor frame and the measured force associated with the force measurement data. 
 
     
     
       3. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the lithographic apparatus further comprises a substrate support configured to hold the substrate during the projection of the patterned radiation beam, and 
 wherein the position controller is further configured to control the relative position of at least one of the plurality of optical elements and the substrate support. 
 
     
     
       4. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sensor frame support comprises at least one vibration isolation system, and wherein the force measurement device is further configured to determine the force of the vibration isolation system onto the sensor frame. 
 
     
     
       5. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the force measurement device comprises a position sensor configured to determine the relative displacement of the sensor frame and the reference frame in at least one direction, and further comprises a force measurement controller that is configured to determine the force exerted by the sensor frame support onto the sensor frame based on measurement data generated by the position sensor. 
 
     
     
       6. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the sensor frame support comprises a damper configured to exert a damping force, and wherein the force measurement controller is configured to determine the force exerted by the sensor frame support on the sensor frame based on both the damping force and measurement data generated by the position sensor. 
 
     
     
       7. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the position sensor comprises a position sensor element that is disposed on the sensor frame and is adjacent to the vibration isolation system. 
 
     
     
       8. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the sensor frame support comprises a plurality of vibration isolation systems, and 
 wherein the force measurement device comprises a plurality of further position sensors, each of the plurality of further position sensors being configured to determine the relative displacement in a first direction between the sensor frame and the force frame adjacent to an associated vibration isolation system, 
 and wherein the force measurement controller is configured to determine the force exerted by the sensor frame support onto the sensor frame based on measurement data generated by the plurality of further position sensors. 
 
     
     
       9. A lithographic apparatus according  claim 5 ,
 wherein the force measurement device is configured to determine the relative displacement of the sensor frame and the reference frame in multiple degrees of freedom, and wherein the force measurement controller is configured to determine the force exerted by the sensor frame support onto the sensor frame based on the determination of the relative displacement of the sensor frame and the force frame in the multiple degrees of freedom. 
 
     
     
       10. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the force measurement device comprises at least one piezo-electric force sensor. 
 
     
     
       11. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the force measurement device comprises at least one strain gauge. 
 
     
     
       12. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the reference frame comprises a force frame configured to support the plurality of optical elements and the sensor frame, and wherein the sensor frame support is arranged between the sensor frame and the force frame. 
 
     
     
       13. A lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the lithographic apparatus is arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate. 
 
     
     
       14. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; 
 a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting to the radiation beam a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; 
 a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate, wherein the projection system comprises a plurality of optical elements, 
 a sensor frame, 
 a first position measurement system configured to measure a position of at least one of the plurality of optical elements relative to the sensor frame, wherein the position measurement system comprises at least one sensor configured to monitor one of the plurality of optical elements, the sensor comprising at least one sensor element which is mounted to the sensor frame, 
 a sensor frame support configured to support the sensor frame on a reference frame, 
 a force measurement device disposed at a second side of the sensor frame opposite to the first side and configured to generate force measurement data relating to a force that is exerted on the sensor frame by the sensor frame support; and 
 a position controller configured to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam, wherein the position controller is further configured to receive the force measurement data and to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam based on at least the force measurement data. 
 
     
     
       15. A lithographic projection apparatus arranged to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate, comprising:
 a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate, wherein the projection system comprises a plurality of optical elements, 
 a sensor frame, 
 a first position measurement system configured to measure a position of at least one of the plurality of optical elements relative to the sensor frame, wherein the position measurement system comprises at least one sensor configured to monitor one of the plurality of optical elements the sensor comprising at least one sensor element which is mounted to the sensor frame, 
 a sensor frame support configured to support the sensor frame on a reference frame, 
 a force measurement device disposed at a second side of the sensor frame opposite to the first side and configured to generate force measurement data relating to a force that is exerted on the sensor frame by the sensor frame support; and 
 a position controller configured to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam, wherein the position controller device is further configured to receive the force measurement data and to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam based on at least the force measurement data. 
 
     
     
       16. A method of manufacturing a device, the method comprising:
 transferring a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus comprising: 
 a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate, wherein the projection system comprises a plurality of optical elements, 
 a sensor frame, 
 a first position measurement system configured to measure a position of at least one of the plurality of optical elements relative to the sensor frame, wherein the position measurement system comprises at least one sensor configured to monitor one of the plurality of optical elements the sensor comprising at least one sensor element which is mounted to the sensor frame, 
 a sensor frame support configured to support the sensor frame on a reference frame, 
 a force measurement device disposed at a second side of the sensor frame opposite to the first side and configured to generate force measurement data relating to a force that is exerted on the sensor frame by the sensor frame support; and 
 a position controller configured to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam, wherein the position controller device is further configured to receive the force measurement data and to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam based on at least the force measurement data. 
 
     
     
       17. A method of manufacturing a device, the method comprising:
 projecting a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate, comprising the step of using a lithographic apparatus comprising: 
 a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate, wherein the projection system comprises a plurality of optical elements, 
 a sensor frame, 
 a first position measurement system configured to measure a position of at least one of the plurality of optical elements relative to the sensor frame, wherein the position measurement system comprises at least one sensor configured to monitor one of the plurality of optical elements the sensor comprising at least one sensor element which is mounted to the sensor frame, 
 a sensor frame support configured to support the sensor frame on a reference frame, 
 a force measurement device disposed at a second side of the sensor frame opposite to the first side and configured to generate force measurement data relating to a force that is exerted on the sensor frame by the sensor frame support; and 
 a position controller configured to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam, wherein the position controller device is further configured to receive the force measurement data and to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam based on at least the force measurement data.